Copyright: Copyright 1997 by Ray Geide - All Rights Reserved


Table of Contents
Super Win's

HTML Notepad

     Most people who know HTML programming use a notepad to construct their web sites instead of bulky Web Designer programs.  But using a notepad can also be a hassle, like when you load a file and have to constantly change the file type from Text Files (*.txt) to All Files (*.*) or when you want to transport code from one document to another.
     HTML Notepad rounds off the HTML rough edges and adds some convenient features, like,

Browser viewing of your document (you provide the browser)

Color Code Producer

Comprehensive HTML Code Listing

Quick Access to Three Files

Automatic Date Updater

Easy Loading of Recent Files

Table of Contents

File Tabs

File Menu

Edit Menu

Tools Menu

Color Producer

Automatic Updater

Quick Codes

Search Menu

Help Menu


File Menu

New

     creates a new form on the current page.

Open

     opens a file and places it on the current page.

Save

     saves the current page into the opened file.

Save As

     opens a dialog box to prompt for the file to save to.

Browser Setup

     designate the executeable file for your browser (this only needs to be done once).

Play Browser

     displays the saved file of the current page on the browser.  If this option is not enabled then the your browser program has not been designated in "Browser Setup".  Go to "Browser Setup".

Recent Files

     below "Play Browser" the nine most recently opened files are displayed.  To open select the file.

Exit

     exits HTML Notepad.


Edit Menu

Undo

     undo the previous cut, delete, or backspaces.   Pressing Ctrl+Z will also perform this function.

Cut

     moves highlighted text to the clipboard.  It can later be retrieved from the clipboard by using "Paste".  Warning - the "Cut" option deletes the highlighted text from the page.  To move text to the clipboard without deleting it, use "Copy".   Pressing Ctrl+X will also perform this function.

Copy

     copies the highlighted text to the clipboard.  It can later be retrieved from the clipboard by using "Paste".   Pressing Ctrl+C will also perform this function.

Paste

     inserts the text from the clipboard to the cursor position.  If text is highlighted, the highlighted text will be removed and the contents of the clipboard will replace it.   Pressing Ctrl+V will also perform this function.

Delete

     deletes the highlighted text without putting it in the clipboard.  This should be used instead of "cut", when you already have something in the clipboard that you do not want to be erased.  Pressing Del will also perform this funtion.

Select All

     highlights the entire contents of the current page.  "Cut" or "Copy" may then be used to put the text into the clipboard for later retrieval.

Time/Date

     inserts the current time and date at the cursor.  Here is an example of what it looks like - 1:51:21 AM 1/21/97.  Pressing F5 will also perform this function.


Tools Menu

   Three programming tools are included for you convenience.

Color Producer

     This menu item displays the color window.  Three slide bars in this window allow you to make custom colors or you can select preset colors from a special box.

Note:  The color setup of your monitor will either enhance or limit the variety of colors available to you.  To get the best results reset your monitor to True Color (24-bit).

Automatic Updater

     This menu item automatically updates the dates on your web site.

Quick Codes

     Nine frequently used or interesting codes are available from this tool menu spot or by pressing a shortcut key.


Color Producer

Color Setup

     If you have already assigned colors to the body of your document, the color producer will detect those colors and initialize the setup choices with those colors.  To change one of the colors, choose the desired option and move the bars to adjust the color or choose the preset colors button and select a color.

Buttons

Setup - choosing this button places or replaces the body colors of the document and then closes the Color Producer.

Cursor - inserts the code for the Special Color at the place where the cursor is.  If you have text highlighted, it will place the beginning code before the text and the ending code at the end of the text.

Preset Colors - opens the Color Dialog box, where basic colors and custom colors can be selected.

Default Colors - choosing this button will set the color setup to the default settings.  The default colors are:  text - black (#000000), link - purple (#FF00FF), visited link - dark purple (#800080), and background - white (#FFFFFF).

Cancel - exits the Color Producer without making any changes to the document.


Automatic Updater

     When this option is selected, the document will be searched for a date.  When a date is found, the user is given the option to update it to the current date (by pressing, yes), search for the next date (by pressing, no), or to quit the updating process (by pressing, cancel).
     Dates will be in the following format:  MM/DD/YY
     Sometimes the Updater does not find the date.  If this happens you may highlight where you want the date and perform the search again, selecting yes when asked if you want the date inserted at the cursor.


Quick Codes

     Quick Codes can save you a lot of typing.  The code will be inserted at the cursor when selected.  Some may need slight modifications.

An extensive listing of HTML code is listed in the Help menu under HTLM Help Codes.  These codes are mainly for reference and little attempt is made to explain them.

Standard Head

     This is a standard set of code that is used to set up the web document.  Some modification is required.  The shortcut key for this option is F1.

Marquee

     This code causes text to scroll across the screen.  Type in the message you want to display.  Some of the options may also be changed.  The shortcut key for this option is F2.

Image

     This code displays a GIF or JPEG image on the screen.  Insert the image file name where it says "image.gif".  If it is in the same directory as the html file the file name is only necessary, otherwise the extended directory or the entire address should be inserted.  The shortcut key for this option is F4
.

Link to Another Site

     This code links the reader to a site other than the present document.  Make sure to insert the correct http address.  The shortcut key for this option is F6.

Link to Another Place

     This code jumps the reader to another place in your document.  Place the code,  <A NAME="name without #">, at the destination and the quick code at the source.  The shortcut key for this option is F7.

Play Sound File

    This code will pay an uploaded sound file.  Both MIDI and WAV files may be played, but MIDI is preferred since it takes up less space.  Be sure to make the necessary modifications.  The shortcut key for this option is F8.

Horizontal Line

     This code draws a 3-D horizontal line, eighty percent width of the page, centered, and 6 pixels wide.  Make modifications to suit your fancy.  The shortcut key for this option is F9.

Ownership Information

     Otherwise known as the copyright information, this code will insert a standard format consisting of three lines.  The first line reads: "Last Updated: MM/DD/YY"

The Automatic Updater makes it very convenient to update this date (something I always forget to do) whenever you modify your document.

     The second line contains your e-mail address with a link that will automatically send mail to your address.  Make sure to put your e-mail address here in both places.
     The third line has the copyright statement with a copyright symbol.  The standard statement is "Copyright YEAR by YOUR NAME - All Rights Reserved".
     The shortcut key for this option is F11.

Table

    This code displays a three cell table with one cell in the first column and two in the second.  The first column is 20% of the page width and the second column is 80% of the page width.  The shortcut key for this option is F12.


Search Menu

     This selection displays the search box.  Enter a word that you want to find and press "find".  A search may be case sensitive, matching capitals only with capitals and little letters only with little letters (thus TITle equals TITle but not title) or not case sensitive (thus TITle equals TITle and title).  Searches my begin at the beginning of the document or from the position of the cursor.
     Select "find next" to find the next match.


Help Menu

Help Topics

     This will open these files.  Click on colored words to get more information.

HTML Codes Help

     At the time of production, this was a comprehensive list of codes for HTML programming.  This is mainly meant to help prompt the experienced programmer.  If you want more information about the listed codes, please consult a reference book or web site.
     Codes may be copied from the HTML Codes page and pasted into your document.

About HTML Notepad

     The about screen is displayed.  This is the same screen shown at the startup of the program.  I'm sure you will want to study the information there thoroughly.


File Tabs

     If you want to load more that one file, simply click on one of the tabs at the bottom of the page and load another file.  When you perform functions they will be performed on the current file tab (this is the one showing, the one on top).  You can quickly switch from one file to another, cut and paste between documents, etc.